Is Remote Work Likely To Become The New Normal After The COVID-19 Pandemic Ends?

Is remote work likely to become the new normal after the COVID-19 pandemic ends?
That's the thinking of many prominent IT professionals who think the adaptations we've been forced to make in the wake of the outbreak are likely to be with us for years to come.

Edmond Esquilin with Altera Solutions works with enterprise IT professionals, helping to meet the demands of changing work environments shares insights into remote work and life after COVID-19.

Remote Work Is Not New

Remote work may be upon us in a large, widespread way. However, it is not a new phenomenon. In the past two decades, technology has advanced considerably. Wireless connectivity has improved, cloud computing has become common and other technologies have emerged. Collectively, these new solutions make it far easier to work outside of a typical office setting.

IT professionals are accustomed to accommodating requests for remote work, either for technical staff and external partners or for portions of the business. Under these models, workers connect to secure local networks from anywhere with a wireless or wired internet connection. It's empowered employees to be productive from almost anywhere.

Then COVID-19 hit.

In days to weeks, the nature of work underwent a seismic shift. The change was sudden and profound. Employees abandoned office spaces for home offices, basements, and kitchen tables. Everyone, from CEOs to assistants to tech workers, was forced to work in a new way. It also meant that IT teams rapidly deployed new tools.

Workers are now regularly using Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and other technologies that were far less common mere weeks ago. Meetings take place via videoconference and teams share files in cloud-driven platforms. Living rooms and dining rooms are the new conference rooms.

What Is the Future of Remote Work?

While some states are reopening as of late April 2020, most experts predict it will be months and months before businesses can reopen fully. Even when business begins to return, will offices be the default?

Part of that answer depends on the virus and public health guidance, which may require new safety protocols, health checks, and staggered schedules to allow for social distancing practices to continue.

For businesses, there are some advantages to maintaining a remote workforce. There are the obvious reductions in rent and space needs and the resultant costs of furnishing offices, utilities, and maintenance. Employees would have no commute, saving time, gas, and other related expenses.

There are downsides, though. There's far less personal interaction and engagement, making it more difficult for employees to build relationships and connect with colleagues, customers, or business partners.

There's also the fatigue factor. Zoom meetings that were a novelty in mid-March are beginning to wear on those who are constantly having to use the platform. Attention spans wane quickly and there is the reality of continued interruptions from children (many of whom need help with homeschooling lessons) and other household members.

Are we meeting more or less in the COVID-19 era? It's hard to determine. On the one hand, it was very easy to pull groups together for unnecessary meetings when people were physically proximate. Will new norms change the way meetings are run and how many there are as we grow tired of Zoom-induced Brady Bunch gatherings?

"There is going to be an initial reluctance to assemble large groups in the same physical space, so this may have the positive side effect of elevating in-person gathering to a new level of importance," notes consultant and author Patrick Gray in a recent TechRepublic post on the topic.

As businesses consider post-pandemic plans, the issue of where employees work will be among the most pressing questions. While there are no clear answers yet, the first months of organized, deliberate, and widescale remote work will help provide the answers.